Origins
by Lady Dreamgirl
Summary: Backstory for Curse of the Black Pearl and an upcoming fic set after CotBP.
1. Pérola

Author's Note: To those who have read and reviewed this story in its previous incarnation, I would be immeasurably grateful if you would care to give it another chance and tell me what you think about it. This is a composite of the three "chapters" I released previously along with a bit of a continuation and some minor corrections. I use the term "chapters" quite loosely as I write lots of very small often barely connected pieces (often merely one-liners) and then piece them together. I realize that this writing style is not very easy on my readers. I'd like to thank all people who have tolerated it and encouraged me to continue in spite of it all. Without further adieu I would like to present (drum roll please)... the disclaimer

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Pirates of the Caribbean although I would love to own Jack.

"Drop anchor."

Everyone ignored her.

"Drop anchor!"

Finally Pérola stripped down to britches and her shirt and kicked off her boots.

"Do not lose these," she said, shoving her effects at a passing sailor. With that remark she dived into the water. Jack let out a string of curses, removed his pistol and hat and dove in after her.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'!" he growled.

"Getting you to drop anchor" she stated calmly.

Jack turned his attention to the Pearl, realizing that she had indeed stopped. He scowled at her as she started swimming back to his ship. Once she reached the side and had snagged the rope his crew had tossed out for him she began climbing. Her shirt was soaked with salt water and clung to her skin, which somehow managed to be freckled and tan at the same time. If you looked closely you could see scars running down her back and arms; some of them disappearing below her britches. Her wet clothing reveled a strong, slender, and almost boyish figure. She reached the deck and reclaimed her effects from the startled sailor she had left them with.

She was settling her hat over her bandanna and salty sun bleached hair when Jack was unceremoniously hauled to the deck by several of the crew. When Jack had gathered himself together from the tumbled heap in which he had been ungracefully deposited on deck he repeated his question. "What the hell do you think you're doin'!"

She repeated her answer. "Getting you to drop anchor."

"In case you hadn't noticed, the Pearl is MY ship now."

"I don't dispute that. You won her fair and square, but this is MY treasure we're after, and sailing right over it doesn't make us any richer."

Jack gestured at the wide expanse of water surrounding the ship. "There's nothing here love."

"Stop calling me love!" She said. "This particular treasure is currently residing in Davy Jones' locker."

"Would you care to enlighten us all as to how you intend to be getting it then?"

A sly smile crossed her face. "I'm going to go down there and I'm going to take it."

"Well that explains everything then."

With an exasperated sigh Pérola explained the details of her plan.


	2. The Compass

Author's Note: To Renajah, I'm inclined to acquiesce to your request. I always appreciate compliments but constructive criticism and questions are also very welcome.

Disclaimer: Still don't own Jack. My lawyers are working on it though.

With the longboat upside down over their heads trapping an air bubble and cannons to counter the buoyant force the air produced, Jack and Pérola were able to descend to the submarine cave.

"This is either madness or brilliance," Jack commented.

"It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide. We're here."

The cave trapped yet another bubble of air. It was, as a matter of fact, relatively dry once past the opening passage.

"Welcome to Davy Jones' locker."

"I don't suppose you'd care to tell me how you knew about this place?"

"Not particularly. I suggest we get what we came for."

Jack shrugged off her non answer and went about making a mess of the various swag stashed in the cave, tossing away items that didn't appeal to him. Pérola worked more methodically, collecting valuable, but light, gemstones rather than heavy masses of gold that appealed to Jack. Throughout, she kept an eye open for the real object of her search. It was Jack, however, who found the first truly unusual object.

"Curious."

"What?"

Jack showed her a rather battered unassuming compass. Although she couldn't be certain, it didn't appear to point north. It unsettled her.

'Leave it."

"The agreement was that we each pick our own share. Finders keepers love."

"It's yours then. But whatever ill it brings is on your head. I have a bad feeling about it."

Jack pocketed the compass and went on with his random exploration, while Pérola continued her methodical search. As Jack examined a golden statue, Pérola found what she was looking for and with unnecessary stealth, considering Jack's preoccupation with determining the gender of the statue, slipped it into a slim waterproofed case she had brought for it.

"Do you intend to bring that with you?"

"I do think I will love. Waddaya think?"

"Charming. We should return to the ship."

"Don't want them thinking we died down here, do we?"

They acceded slowly, the weight of the cannons and the swag they were bringing with them required all of the crew to work together to haul them up.


End file.
